Felt-hat and like felting machine.



A.TURNER. FELT HAT AND LIKE FELTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 8, 1911. I

Patented July 16, 1912.

s SHBETSSHBET 1. I

A. TURNER.

FELT HAT AND LIKE FELTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. a, 1911.

- 1,033,042. Patented July16, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A. TURNER.

FELT HAT AND LIKE FELTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. a, 1911.

1,033,042. Patented July 1 1912.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

COLUMBIA FLANbcRAPH 20., WASHINGTON. D. c,

ALBERT TURNER, 0F DENTON, NEAR MANCHESTER, ENGLAND.

FELT-HAT AND LIKE FELTING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 16, 1912.

Application filed September 8, 1911. Serial No. 648,352.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT TURNER, a subject of the King of GreatBritain and Ireland, and resident of Denton, near l lanchester, England,haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Felt-Hat and Like FeltingMachines, of which the following is a specification.

These improvements refer to felt hat or like felting machines of thetype commonly called bumpers which consist of a single fixed scoop-likereceptacle and an arrangement of two lever arms fitted with broadfaceddownwardly extending blocks, commonly called hammers, the hat bodies tobe fitted being placed in the receptacle, which is supplied by hand withacidulated hot water, and the hammers by means of a revolving shaft andcranks being designed to intermittently and alternately act on the hatbodies to be treated.

The improvements have for their objects (1) to construct a machine ofthe type named which will allow of a more efficient felting of the hatbodies than the ordinary construction of machine, (2) to provide amachine which is practically two machines in one and which will occupyless floor space than two separate machines, thereby economizing roomand to provide a machine in which the action of the hammers can beregulated to suit the hats to be treated.

Upon the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 illustrates a side elevationand part transverse section, and Fig. 2 a plan of a machine embodyingthe invention.

According to the invention, the improved machine comprises twoscoop-like receptacles a a formed integral with each other, the verticalend walls a being arranged back to back, see Fig. 1. The receptacles areconstructed chiefly of wood, with metal end frames common to both, andcross rods to hold them together. In the floor of each receptacle arethe usual drain holes a Mounted in bearings b is a shaft 0 and looselymounted upon such shaft is a series of levers or double-armed blades (Z.There are preferably four of these levers or blades all of equal lengthand extending from end to end of the machine. At each extremity eachlever is provided with a downwardly projecting wood (oak) block orhammer e, which on two of its faces is curved longitudinally tocorrespond with the curvature of the floor of the receptacle in which itis designed to work. These blocks are narrower in width across thecurved face than the ordinary blocks, the ordinary blocks being abouttwelve inches wide and the improved blocks about seven inches wide. Atits extremity each block is stepped like the ordinary hammer to form asuitable surface for engaging the felt hat bodies. Mounted in bearings fis a further shaft 9 and upon such shaft is a series of eccentrics it,by preference, one for each felting lever. The strap of each eccentricis connected to its lever through an adjustable connecting link 2'. Uponthe shaft g 1s also mounted the usual driving pulley j, and also, ifdesired, fly wheels 70.

The floor of each receptacle a a may be provided with a jacket, as shownby broken lines at a in Fig. 1, into which, when the machine is in use,steam may be admitted. The part a of each end wall is hollow and steamheated and such part is made of metal (brass). In practice, this isfound sufficient for the purpose of keeping the receptacles in a warmcondition.

In proceeding to use the machine the receptacles are each supplied withacidulated hot water through a spray pipe j, Z from a heated boiler or atank Z. Steam is also supplied to the jackets at Hat bodies are placedin each. receptacle, after which the driving belt is placed on thedriving pulley and the eccentric shaft set in motion. The effect of theshaft rotating is to cause the levers d to oscillate about their axis,and the hammers e to act upon the hat bodies in the two receptacles. Asthe hammer at one end of a lever moves down to act on the hat bodieswithin one receptacle, the hammer at its other end is raised away fromthe hat bodies in the other receptacle. With the increased number ofhammers and such hammers of less width than the ordinary hammers, thehat bodies receive a greater number of impacts than in the ordinarymachine and the action of the hammers is distributed to betteradvantage. A further advantage is that by applying a hammer to each endof the levers the hammers are balanced and, by operating the levers bymechanical means, the action of the hammers upon the hats to be feltedis determined by the power transmit-ted through the eccentrics and notby the weight of the hammers as in known felting machines. To afford thebest results it is preferred that the eecentrics be set a quarter of acircle in ad rance of each other in the order of their nmnber.

The machine will preferably have the usual slotted and curved guards mfor the ends of the levers. The water in the receptacles, and squeezedout of the hat bodies, will pass into a tank or from whence it will bereturned to the heater Z by a pump or injector. The water ofcondensation from the jackets a may also pass into the tank a. In thetank Z may be a filter or strainer for arrest ing any of the fur orkemps in the water, prior to its entering the tank Z.

It will now be seen the improved machine constitutes two machines inone, thereby eeononiizing floor space, as well as power, and that, withthe receptacles kept warm and constantly supplied with hot liquor, thefelting of the hat bodies will be greatly improved and e tpedited.

Yl hat I claim is A felt hat felting machine comprising twoscoopdike-receptacles formed integral, a series of levers common to bothreceptacles a felting block or hammer of comparatively narrow widthacross its working surface secured to each end of each lever and extending down int-o the receptacles and one hammer of each lever balancingthe other hammer, means for pirotally supporting the levers and hammersside by side and means for positively operating the levers to oscillatethem, such means being capable of raising and lowering the levers oneafter the other and means for circulating hot treating liquor throughthe receptacles, substantially as herein set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

Jas. STEWART Bnonnronn, Hy. Juneau Copies of this patent may be obtainedfor five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,Washington, I). C.

